


Intoxicated

by cledritch



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alcohol, Alternate Universe - College/University, Boys In Love, Drunken Confessions, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Idiots in Love, M/M, Misunderstandings, Mutual Pining, Taeyong is Whipped, Taeyong's an honest drunk, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Winwin is not Oblivious
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-12
Updated: 2018-01-12
Packaged: 2019-03-03 22:00:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,215
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13350381
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cledritch/pseuds/cledritch
Summary: Don't call people drunk if you don't want to spill anything you don't mention sober.





	Intoxicated

**Author's Note:**

> Missed me? Probably not. Based on a true story. Enjoy and leave a comment and kudos if you will.

_“Hey, I used to have a crush on you in high school.”_

Sicheng suddenly can’t breathe.

His hand cradling the phone close to his ear is shaking, making the device thump against his ear and he gulped. The once sleepy haze that he woke up with is gone now replaced with the unsettling feeling of dread. This wasn’t happening. This was a dream. Sicheng has always been very imaginative so this sort of dream occurring is no big deal and all he has to do is pinch himself-

The blooming pain on his arm where he dug his nails so deep the rings made from them stayed and throbbed, the sensation only making it clear he wasn’t asleep at all.

But there’s no other explanation. Sicheng isn’t listening to his best friend sprouting nonsense to him in the middle of the night (two in the morning, his clock’s bright red numbers flashed) and he is not hearing him confess to whatever not so platonic feelings to him.

It doesn’t happen.

_“Well, I mean, remember how we all teased you when you started dancing like a stripper that one dance because the punch was alcoholic and you thought it wasn’t? I kept bringing it up because I really liked the way your hips moved.”_

Taeyong is decidedly drunk if the fast-paced way he slurred his words akin to a hyperactive child but with the carelessness of someone who had one too many drinks. Sicheng knew he can’t hold alcohol well and the younger’s been the one to drive him back home before he confessed his undying love to every stranger he came across. He should be used to him with his mindless confessions but he never hit on his friends mostly because he would give them the most absurd nicknames that he’d mock them endlessly and apologize when he was sober. Like that one time he wiggled around like a chicken while he yelled “Polly want a cracker!” at Johnny because of his parrot impressions. It was a miracle that Taeyong even could breathe the day after with how red his face was and he cooked Johnny a meal. Or that time he cried while holding the younger boys they befriended and cooing at how they were his sons that deserve the whole world and almost went to buy the entire plushie section at Walmart even though his wallet had flies crawling out it.

Taeyong is an entertaining drunk. So this serious Taeyong isn’t really adding up to Sicheng’s mind. He’s bundled up in his lilac blankets wearing only his boxers and the air-conditioning in his room is on full blast so he’s really not sure if any of this is real anyways.

Sicheng knew that Taeyong is just probably playing a prank on him at this point.

“Yong-hyung?” he whispered as he rubbed his eyes before settling back to his pillow to make him feel comfortable. There’s no answer but a hiccup and he spoke again “Yong-hyung, why are you calling me this late?”

A muffled laughter before a loud thud that he realized must be Taeyong landing down and then the elder’s rattling something from the other side _“I missed my favorite person, isn’t it obvious?”_

Sicheng’s face scrunched up at the cheesiness of that and shook his head though Taeyong wouldn’t be able to see it “You saw me when you dropped me off, sheesh. You’ve been celebrating the finals week being finished at the party at Joonmyun-hyung’s frat, weren’t you?”

It wouldn’t come off as a surprise that Taeyong would get invited to a different a party everyday as if they just couldn’t run out of entertainment in their college. The elder’s been always a popular person with their peers that he’d win them over with just a smile and a helping hand if they so much ask it. He’s also the type to take school activities seriously though not as much as Doyoung did and it didn’t help that he was very handsome as well. He had the makings of an idol if he went to pursue that career but Taeyong’s been passionate about business management ever since he was young so he wanted to build his own company and though it seemed boring, Sicheng has never seen anyone rant about the price ranges spiking up as entrancing as Taeyong did.

It doesn’t come off as a surprise that maybe Sicheng didn’t really just see Taeyong as a friend. It’s always been nagging at the back of his mind like an ugly worm that won’t let him be, crawling back into the front of his mind when Taeyong does something that sent butterflies in his stomach he needed to squash down.

Sicheng can hold off better on his own now, not giving anyone the satisfaction of making him a damsel in distress. He’s learned a lot more than when he came here to study and people know a lot more sense not to piss him off because Sicheng may not be a violent person but he knew how to push people’s buttons to make them shut up. He doesn’t quarrel because most people like his pleasant personality they would rather jump off a cliff than hurt his pinky. It’s comical to think about when Sicheng is self-sufficient enough that he doesn’t need help but it’s still offered. He’s grateful for it but it does irritate him a lot when he wants some downtime and someone-mostly Yuta because he thinks a cure to sadness is company-tries to stick to him.

Taeyong’s the person who helped him the most the first few months. It dwindled when Sicheng started to talk to more people that he’d find the elder smiling at him at the sidelines like a proud parent and Sicheng often still gravitated towards him mostly due to familiarity. Taeyong’s not the most open person like everyone tells him he is. Sicheng can tell that Taeyong’s a lot more closed off to him without meaning to. He will be there to smile fondly at his antics because everyone seems to like the way he childishly reacts to things and Sicheng would find his eyes to get the private look he’d send, intimate enough to make him look away.

These days, Sicheng sticks to Jaehyun with their similar class schedules. Jaehyun is his best friend after all and the dynamic they share is different with Taeyong. Jaehyun liked to push the wrong buttons on purpose, even teasing him that he stole Taeyong from him. It’s not serious but Sicheng hates hearing it. He’s always had an air of being spoilt and it’s not really bad per say. Jaehyun’s used to getting what he wants, a trait he can relate to Sicheng in a different perspective. Their intimacy is more pronounced that he does admit sharing kisses with Jaehyun when he’s sad.

It’s not romantic, just comforting. But that one time Taeyong caught them in lip lock, he couldn’t look at either of them in the eye. The incident made Sicheng furious that Taeyong would ignore them because they were fooling around but when Yuta found out about it too, the Japanese elder shook his head in disapproval.

“You’re a serial heartbreaker, Winko. Not cool.” He said and didn’t explain why.

Sicheng saw Yuta the next day with Taeyong eating ice cream together. The ugly worm in his stomach starts hissing at him to run to them, to scream maybe at this betrayal. But he doesn’t because Jaehyun shook his head at him when he vented about it.

“He’s sad and you’re giving him mixed signals. Come on, Winwin. He’ll come crawling back to you like he did with me when we argued.”

This doesn’t really make him feel any better. Jaehyun’s been Taeyong’s confidant more times than he can count even long before high school where Sicheng met them. They were thick as thieves then that they never left each other’s side, pranking and making trouble for their teachers. However, Jaehyun decided to straighten his act before Taeyong did and they had a full-out argument especially when Jaehyun ran for vice president against Doyoung who Taeyong loathed back then. The image of the poor boy shivering with thick, gooey liquid dripping down his hair and Jaehyun shouting at Taeyong as he dragged Sicheng away still burned in his retinas. That was the first time they met, running away from the two as they tried to get Sicheng back.

Taeyong was swift, hiding them behind the old building and ducking just in time for the two to pass. He dragged his back down the wall with a big grin then. The weight of his grip around Sicheng’s wrist stayed for weeks as Taeyong told him that he’ll be fine around their school. It was a strange feeling to go back to Jaehyun without telling him where the other boy ran off to, scared of what might happen to him.

The minute he found Jaehyun nursing Taeyong’s bruised knuckles afterwards, he wondered how it worked. And what they were to each other.

Even now in college when he’s more inclined to be with Jaehyun, he wonders about it too much it keeps him up at night.

He’s so lost in his thoughts that he doesn’t register what Taeyong is saying before he hears the trailing _“…well.”_

“What?”

There’s laughter from the other line, hiccupping in the middle followed by a groan. Sicheng bit his lip, wondering if he left his house after he was dropped off. Taeyong might be the worst drunk he’s seen even more than lightweights he’s met before but he doesn’t want to know if the elder is stable enough not to vomit and faint at the same time. It could be a disaster trying to find him at this hour but Sicheng’s about to grab his coat from the floor when Taeyong speaks again.

 _“Oh, shit,”_ he hissed, from pain or something else Sicheng didn’t know _“I forgot you’re not into that.”_ Sicheng quirked an eyebrow at that hoping he isn’t going to say what he thinks he will.

It’s his turn to laugh though when Taeyong does exactly that, shy and quiet like he’s scared of offending him. _“You’re still too young.”_

Sicheng barks a laugh at how he acts subtle about the fact he thinks the younger can’t handle a little innuendo. Hell, they treat him like they treat the band of kids Mark and Donghyuck hung out with during weekends. It’s funny how that they still can’t see that Sicheng had relationships before, knows about porn enough with how his laptop still needs fixing from the virus he got from Johnny’s daddy searching and god help him should they hear him curse. He’s fucking twenty years old after all. There’s nothing dirty about the normal windings of a boy’s head caught in the plethora of hormones and booze.

Granted, he does like ice cream and being coddled but not to the point he’s useless. That just blows a chunk of whatever self-esteem he has left.

“Hyung, what the hell?” he quips as he rubbed his hand over his eyes to stop the impending urge to roll them. He sucked a breath and stands up to pick up his coat just in case “Where are you?”

Taeyong hummed in response, a scratching noise erupting and the distinct sound of him sitting down. He could be anywhere but there’s barely a store that opens 24/7 other than the convenience stores. Could he have gotten that far though? The thoughts he had before came back that he’s worried that he wouldn’t be able to find him at this rate.

“Don’t worry. I’m home. Jaehyun’s locked the doors on me before I can grab my keys. Did you two conspire again?” he paused and then tentatively added “Two brats.” The tone is fond and it clenches around Sicheng’s heartstrings in a tight grip that he can’t breathe.

Sicheng doesn’t even know what to say other than a curt “Okay.”

Taeyong is a different story. He takes his hesitation as disgust and prattles on his apology. How has the liquor not flushed out of him yet is anyone’s guess and Sicheng is afraid he might get aneurysm if he didn’t stop talking like he swallowed a pair of speed skates. _“Listen to you being tongue-tied. Feels like freshman year all over. Real cute even back then.”_

No use correcting him. He has to stop before Sicheng gets the aneurysm instead. Or blow his head off with how warm he feels from all the honesty laid down into the table. There was never a word about the tension, just soft laughter with the sides of their heads pressed against the other and the brushes of Taeyong’s thumb when it swipes on his pulse point the times he held his wrist. Late night phone calls where Sicheng couldn’t sleep and the midnight snacks that helped him more than he can say.

They were friends foremost. His heart is already at the breaking point of non-platonic with this revelation.

 _“If I’m making you uncomfortable, I understand,”_ Taeyong swallowing is too loud and his breathing is becoming slower. He’s falling asleep and Sicheng hopes he’s not out a balcony where he’ll fall to death _“It’s not every day I confess I like you to the point I didn’t tell you to keep you close.”_

Same, Sicheng thinks but makes a hum in agreement. One of them is already spilling secrets under the influence. He can’t risk it. “Hyung, get back to bed and let’s talk in the morning. You’ll probably hurt yourself by accident if you stumble about.”

 _“Aww~”_ Taeyong cooed, giddy that Sicheng returns it with his own laugh _“You sound like me now, Sicheng.”_

Between the fondness and the image of Taeyong smiling softly with his phone cradled to his ear, Sicheng’s really regretting being awake at this hour when he slips “Hopelessly pining?”

Silence.

He’s fucked. 

“Goodnight!” he slams his phone in his haste to end the call button and grabs his pillow to scream into it. He should've waited for an answer but _fuck that_. After a few minutes of muffled screaming, he pinched the bridge of his nose before deciding to get some black tea to forget the embarrassment he just made.

There’s a maniacal laugh at the back of his mind that sounds like his psych classmate Kun who’s telling him about Freudian slips.

 

There’s no prior warning when there’re flowers being shoved at his sleep-deprived face while he’s eating breakfast.

Sicheng looked up albeit sluggishly. He’s drank three cups of black tea because there was no way he could sleep after the call. A wake-up call that changed his life? What kind of fucked up fantasy is that? So he blinked at the stargazer lilies and yellow dandelions wrapped with lined paper at the base with a hair tie holding it together. It doesn’t register fully yet as he looked down to take another bite of the chicken bibimbap he stole from Yuta’s fridge yesterday. It’s cold at some parts because the microwave is a little bitch he needed to get fixed. Or maybe let Taeyong make him food again-

He choked on the chicken.

He almost gets whiplash as he looked back at the person holding the flowers stiff as a board. Taeyong’s not looking at him and neither is he moving. The only indication he’s feeling something other than the awkwardness is how his hand holding the makeshift bouquet is shaking.

Taeyong took a deep breath when Sicheng who’s also shaking take the flowers.

It makes the tension in his shoulder lessen and turns to him. His face is red, traces of a hangover left when he squints at the light and almost stumbled as he sat down to cradle his head. To nurse his headache or hide his shame, who knows really? Sicheng’s not faring any better as he fiddled with the soft petals and sniffing the floral aroma to avoid talking for a second. The only sound they can hear is rhythmic breathing and the soft scraping of Sicheng’s spoon as he finished his meal. He’s too hungry and tired to deal with this knowing he will make another slip-up. His mind and his mouth aren’t going to coordinate well.

Taeyong looked like he just rolled out of bed, threw in the first clothes he saw to get some flowers and rush to Sicheng’s dorm. His hair is in disarray that it looked poofier than usual. It makes him want to pet it but refrains. The sweater he wore was full of creases and strange stains at the hem and the jeans were bunched at the ankles that gave him the feeling it wasn’t his. The sight of slippers made him cringe and he broke the silence.

“Hyung, seriously?”

 Taeyong met his eyes. There’s hurt in them that affected Sicheng too much and he pointedly looks at his feet to emphasize. The dawning realization is comical as he offered a sheepish grin. It’s not like the confident smile he flashes but it’s close enough.

“Oh.” He said in relief.

Sicheng snorted at it, “What? Thought I was going to be disgusted then shun you where the sun doesn’t shine? _Please._ ” It diffused the awkwardness but Taeyong laughed with his whole body. He folds over the table with his shoulders quaking with every sound that Sicheng smiles so wide his lips hurt. Taeyong paused, sighs with a contented smile of his face. His eyes are looking fond again and Sicheng wonders what he sees in his own. Almost like looking in mirror, maybe?

Taeyong clicked his tongue before leaning closer. He’s still a little embarrassed; the pink dusting his cheeks a nice look. “You’re not mad at least.”

“Why should I be?”

“Yeah. Totally caught me by surprise. If I were in your shoes, I’d-“ he paused, thoughtful before shaking his head defiantly “I’d be jittery and not more invested in what drink would go with the finished meal.”

He says something else that Sicheng doesn’t catch. But it was along the lines of ‘Usually Johnny gets my calls and uses them as blackmail. Says wrong number, you dick in Chinese until he collapses from laughing when I start screeching.”

Sicheng shrugged. “You’re not wrong at least,” he procures a water bottle from the plastic bag tucked at his side then another which he handed to the elder along with some Advil.

“I’d tell you I love you but you probably already got that.” Taeyong murmured and gulps a tablet followed by water. He’s side-eyeing Sicheng for a reaction, anything that’s positive maybe and it’s cute. Friendships are important to him he knows and they’ll be a lot of teasing involved with how their other friends were. It could’ve been possible they even set a betting pool between who cracks first but it doesn’t count if Taeyong confessed drunk. Sicheng should really throw caution to the wind.

Sober thoughts, drunk words. So he’s more of hopeless thoughts, hopeful words.

“Hm. I hope you also know I’m into you too.”

There’s a burning satisfaction in the way Taeyong sputters water all over himself that he has to wear Sicheng’s pink sweater the whole day while they held hands.

 

**Author's Note:**

> A yuwin's in WIP. Because before I stop writing, I gotta write every Winwin ship yanno.


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